


Blurred Haze

by Enigmaforum



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hazing, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Emergency, kink meme response
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-29
Updated: 2011-11-01
Packaged: 2017-10-24 04:06:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/258815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enigmaforum/pseuds/Enigmaforum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The associates of Pearson Hardman take their "welcome" rituals too far.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing!
> 
> This was inspired by a kink meme prompt that basically stated: Mike's hazing by the other associates goes to far. Would have posted this sooner but it's taken some time to clean-up.
> 
> Warning: This deals with hazing/extreme bullying.

Mike Ross was the newest associate at Pearson Hardman. This was supposed to mean that he was the lowest rung on the ladder but instead he was the chosen one for Harvey Specter, which meant that he was also the golden child of Pearson Hardman. This status meant that the other associates, with Greg and Kyle in the lead, had decided that Mike Ross deserved more than his fair share of hazing. They’d all been through it and in their opinion; Ross deserved it more than they had during their first few months because it just wasn’t fair.

“Ross is gone, now’s our chance,” Kyle said with a glance towards Mike’s now empty cubicle. Greg nodded, stood, stretched and then quickly walked over to the cubicle. Every associate in the area stopped what they were doing and watched as Greg held the Redbull Ross had been nursing and glanced around.

“Any ideas?” Greg asked as he shook the can.

“Here,” Kyle tossed a pack of crushed up peanuts he’d taken from the bar the other night towards Greg. “That’ll make it taste weird.”

“Guys maybe we shouldn’t….” Harold stopped talking at the look everyone shot him.

“That’s what I thought,” Kyle said.

“We had to go through it and so does he,” Greg said. “Right?”

There was a murmur of agreement as he dumped the powdery remnants into the can, shook it up, threw the pack out and then walked back over to his cubicle to continue his work. Everyone else did the same thing until Mike came strolling back from wherever he had gone ten minutes later, sat down at his desk, spread his files out, and then reached for the can. It was then that everyone in cubicle land paused in their work and watched with bated breath as he took a big sip.

And then spit it out. All over his work. Double Score.

“What the fuck?”

“Yes!” Greg crowed as he and Kyle high-fived.

“Score one for the **winners** ,” Kyle finished.

“We’re obviously superior,” Greg nodded. “How’s that drink there Ross?”

There was no response. Kyle and Greg then bumped fist to celebrate their epic prank of awesome.

“He obviously knows that we’re better than he is.”

“Guys…that’s not it,” Harold said. Kyle, Greg, and the others in the area stopped and looked at Harold, who was paler than he had been five minutes ago as he pointed towards Mike’s cubicle where everyone else was now turning their gazes.

“Holy shit,” Greg mumbled as he took in Mike Ross, flushed, sweating, and shaking as he stared at the red bull can with what could only be described as horror on his face.

“He’s faking it,” Kyle said as they all heard the uncomfortable way Mike Ross was….it didn’t even sound like breathing. He was wheezing, choking, and fuck his hand was banging on the desk. “Or not, fuck, where’s Specter?”

“He, Louis, and Jessica are all at lunch with those clients,” Harold stood up.

“Fuck,” Greg moved over to Ross. “Guys…he’s turning blue. Fuck what did we do?”

“We did nothing, this was all you,” Kyle pointed at Greg as he backed away from the scene but was stopped by the wall of other associates crowding around Mike Ross.

“What should we do? Is he choking?”

“Mike, can you tell us what’s wrong?”

“We need to…”

“I’m going to get Donna!” Harold ran in the opposite direction. Everyone looked at each other with a mixture of shock and horror before they were distracted as Mike Ross banged on the desk again and fuck fuck his lips were turning blue and the flush on his skin had turned to what looked like hives.

“Here,” Greg’s hands shook as he reached Mike, who didn’t even notice that Greg was trying to help him sit up. “Mike, fuck, guys, breathe, fuck he’s not breathing, no FUCK stay awake!”

“Slap him!” Kyle told him as he looked at everyone frantically. Everyone was frozen, watching the scene unfold before them. “Does anyone know CPR?”

“We’re lawyers not doctors!”

“I’ll go get some water to throw on him!”

“Someone do something!”

“Stay the fuck awake. Breathe goddamnit. That’s not breathing!” Greg shouted as he waved his hands in front of Mike as though it would make the man do something other than wheeze and close his eyes. His shirt was almost soaked through now, pupils blown wide, hands scrabbling for this throat. “Oh fuck please don’t die.”

“What. The. Hell.”

Everyone froze as they heard an all too familiar fear inducing voice behind them. They turned to find that Donna was there with Harold, both looking more than a little ragged. Donna took a look at all of them and then her gaze landed on Mike.

“Oh Jesus fuck,” she gasped before she pushed her way through the associates. When Harold had come rushing over to her desk and mentioned the words ‘Mike’ and ‘can’t breathe’ in the same sentence Donna hadn’t even thought. She’d kicked her heels off and had run because Harvey wasn’t here. He was out with Jessica and Louis to meet with a new client which meant that Mike was her responsibility. She pushed Greg to the side and dropped to her knees. “What the fuck did you idiots do to him?”

“We didn’t do anything!” Kyle shouted.

“They put peanuts in his Redbull as a prank,” Harold responded. “I’m calling 911.”

Donna didn’t say anything, though her hands shook just a little as she took in Mike’s flushed skin, his sweaty neck, his eyes were half-lidded and he was gasping and wheezing to match. Because she was Donna she knew that Mike had a severe allergy to peanuts, the kind that would kill him if she didn’t act fast. She was more than a little scared because of the sheer look of terror in his eyes as he looked at her.

She snapped her fingers; Harold pressed the spare Epi-Pen she always kept with her into her hand. It was always good to be prepared for such an occasion though she never thought it would be because of some goddamn hazing ritual. She popped the cap off, spread the fabric Mike’s pants out and then pressed the needle into his thigh and prayed to god that she had done this in enough time.

“Oh shit, oh shit,” Greg muttered beside her but Donna spared him a mere glare, focused more on getting Mike to breathe again because his face was still red, his pulse was too fast. She was more than a little terrified that she hadn’t gotten there in time.

“Harold, tell the operator that we have someone at Pearson Hardman who has gone into Anaphylactic Shock because of a peanut allergy,” Donna said as she looked at Mike and pushed down her fear in order to focus on him. He needed her right now and she wasn’t about to let him down. She reached out covered both of his hands with hers, let him turn his to squeeze. He felt so clammy and cold. His eyes had started to droop. She pinched the skin on the back of his hand to wake him up. “Tell them that he’s been injected with an Epi-Pen but I think he needs a second dose. Tell them to hurry.”


	2. Donna saves the Day

“He’s allergic to peanuts?” Kyle asked. Donna spared a moment to glare at him.

“Deathly allergic,” she hissed before she looked at Mike and softened her voice. “Mike, listen to me, can you hear me?If you can hear me I want you to squeeze my hands alright?”

There was a weak squeeze, too weak, but it was still a squeeze, Donna counted that as a win.

“Mike, I need you to keep your eyes open,” she insisted.

“Help will be here in five minutes,” Harold replied. “I told you idiots not to do this.”

“Hear that Mike? Five minutes alright? That’s all I need, five minutes,” Donna soothed, he squeezed with one hand. She panicked a little but smiled when his eyes fluttered open to look at her. “Five minutes, come on, you can do this right champ?”

Mike shook his head.

“Yes you can, come on, focus on me, breathe with me, can you do that?” she asked because she had to keep him awake, she had to keep him alive, her hands shook in his now, she ignored it. “In and out, everyone now,” she looked at the crowd. “Breathe in and out so Mike can breathe too.”

Everyone listened except Mike. He tried and failed to breathe but it sounded more like a bad car motor. Donna checked Mike’s wrist for his pulse and found that it hadn’t slowed down at all.

“Mike stay awake,” she said urgently when his eyes slid closed again. “Mike, champ, you need to stay up,” she insisted as she pulled her hands away from his and snapped her fingers in front of his face. He moaned. Donna took that as a good sign as she put her hand on his cheek and tapped it. He didn’t do anything. She felt her panic slide into terror in exactly two point five seconds because Mike had definitely passed out and she couldn’t see his chest rising or falling at all.

“He’s not breathing, oh god, oh god,” Greg babbled. “He’s not awake. I didn’t know, I didn’t know. We didn’t…oh god.”

“I’m going to meet the paramedics,” Harold shouted. Donna moved with lightning fast speed, didn’t even think about it as she pinched Mike’s nose and leaned into seal her mouth over his. She puffed breath into his lungs three times, pulled away, gave him five seconds and then leaned back in to repeat the process. She kept doing it because it had to help, she wondered why she didn’t know CPR, and she vowed to take classes as she noted that Mike still wasn’t breathing, that his lips were turning blue, and that it wasn’t working. She felt helpless.  
Donna didn’t do helpless. She got things done. She felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned to find that she was face to face with a woman dressed in blue.

“Ma’am my name is Kayla and I’m here to help with my partner Phil,” she nodded to the man behind her with a gurney.

“Oh thank god,” she all but sobbed in relief as she moved away from Mike. Kayla took her place, already gesturing to her male counterpart to join her. Everyone watched as Mike was lifted from the chair and put on a backboard and then braced to a gurney.

“Hives, swollen limbs, little response,” Kayla began as she shined a light down Mike’s throat. “His throats swollen, we need to try and intubate before it gets any worse, get this kid some air. What’s his name?”

“Mike, Mike Ross,” Donna supplied shakily as she watched Kayla cock Mike’s mouth open again and stick a tube down his throat before attaching an air bag to the end and squeezing it once, waiting a second, and then squeezing again. “He’s got a severe allergy to peanuts and their byproducts. He ingested some a few minutes ago, I gave him his Epi-Pen but it just…it didn’t seem to work and I was giving him mouth to mouth because he stopped breathing.”

“It did enough of its job,” Phil reassured her. Donna wasn’t so sure because Mike was just lying on the gurney, so small and goddamn young that it shook her. No one, especially not Mike, should ever have to look like that.   
She would breakdown later with a bottle of Harvey’s good scotch and preferably Harvey there to help be a caretaker too.

“We need to move out,” Kayla said.

“I’m coming with you,” Donna said but the two paramedics shook their heads as they started to pack up. “I’m one of his emergency contacts,” she added because the second Harvey had taken care of the Trevor problem Donna had taken it upon herself to change Mike’s forms in Human Resources. She had then shifted the emergency contact to herself and Harvey because she had realized that the kid didn’t have anyone else except his grandmother.

“Ma’am, we can’t let you come with us. It’s too dangerous, he still might crash and we can’t have someone in the ambulance with us if we have to work. You are more than welcome to follow us to Lenox Hill,” Kayla told her from where she was pumping precious air into Mike. “His pulse is evening out but not nearly fast enough for my liking. He needs another dose of Epinephrine.”

“Let’s move,” Phil kicked something under the gurney and then the two were off down the hall. Donna had never been more grateful for the fact that Pearson Hardman’s elevators were so close to the associate area. When they were gone Donna felt herself start to shake just a little. She had been so calm and collected but now that her responsibility had shifted from keeping him alive she was starting to feel all of the dread and terror that she had been suppressing for the past few…had it really only been five minutes? It had felt like hours waiting for them. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound coming from her right. She turned and found that Greg and Kyle were standing there with everyone else, watching the gurney disappear into the elevator.

She pushed the terror, the panic, everything that wasn’t anger down and away. She would break later with Harvey’s scotch and preferably Harvey nearby to share in caretaker responsibilities. Right now she was going to roast the idiots who dared call themselves associates of Pearson Hardman.

“What in the hell were all of you thinking?” she growled. Everyone froze and turned to look at her, their eyes wide, some of the women were crying, they were all pale. Good. Donna wanted them terrified by the time she was done with them. “Someone tell me now.”

“We just…it was supposed to be a prank!” Kyle said. “Just something to get to the golden child! We all do it. How were we supposed to know he was allergic to peanuts?”

“It’s one of the most common allergies out there!” She told them all with her voice more than a little raised because, Donna had just had to help save Mike’s life. She was allowed to be a little emotional and if someone questioned her she was going to stab them with a pen. “What all of you just did, and all of you are to blame here because you let him,” she pointed at Greg. “Do it, was completely and totally irresponsible and lacking in human decency. He could have…if Harold hadn’t come to get me…..Mike would have….”

She couldn’t say the next word, couldn’t and wouldn’t. Mike was going to be fine and she was going to stop wasting her time with these inconsiderate human beings and go call Harvey, get Ray, and then go to the hospital. She leveled each and every one of the people in this room with a biting glare before she bent down, grabbed Mike’s messenger bag from the floor and his phone from the desk and stalked off towards her own.

“We’re going to get fired,” Kyle moaned.

“We should get fired,” someone replied.

“I almost killed someone,” Greg mumbled as he leaned on the edge of a nearby desk. Kyle leaned against the wall, Harold sagged in a chair. Some of the girls were still crying; no actual work was getting done. “I almost killed someone…I almost….oh my god why did we do this?”


	3. Chapter 3

The sight of associates crying, mumbling, and all around freaking out was not the one that Jessica Pearson, Harvey Specter, and Louis Litt had been expecting upon returning from a lunch meeting. They had expected to find the associates hard at work as they had left them a few hours ago. Now they were each more than a little confused because of the ambulance they had seen pulling away from the building and one of the security guards mentioning that one of their associates had needed it.

“You,” Jessica pointed to Greg, who was leaning against the wall.“What happened?”

“It was….it was just supposed to be a joke,” Greg squeaked as he straightened up. “A stupid joke. We didn’t know he was allergic. We didn’t. I swear.”

“Who?” Harvey asked, even as his eyes scanned the room, looking for his associate. He felt himself stiffen when he didn’t see Mike. “What did you all do?”

“We…we just….it was….I’m so sorry,” Greg nearly broke down in front of all of them. “I didn’t know! He just…he drank it and then he wasn’t breathing and then the paramedics and….he almost died!”

“Who?” Louis asked.

No one spoke, instead they watched as Donna approached with a messenger bag attached to one shoulder, her purse on the other, and her iPhone in one hand. She stopped in front of Harvey and barely acknowledged Jessica and Louis and looked more than a little surprised to see Harvey standing there.

“Donna?” Harvey asked gently.

“We need to get to…to the hospital,” Donna told him, her voice eerily calm. “Mike ingested peanuts that these idiots dumped into his drink.”

“And he’s allergic?” Jessica questioned.

“Deathly allergic,” Harvey answered for her.

“Did he get his Epi-Pen in time?” Louis asked as he eyed the room full of associates who were watching them.

“I don’t….I gave it to him,” Donna replied. “But I don’t think it was enough to really help. I had to give him mouth to mouth because he stopped breathing and then the paramedics came and I….they said his throat was swollen. But they stuck a tube down his throat so I don’t even….he had a pulse,” she rambled. “He had a pulse when he left and they wouldn’t let me go because he was in danger of….of crashing and…I need to…”

“Breathe,” Harvey put his hands on her shoulders because he was always the closer and Donna had clearly done more than her fair share of work today.

“I told Mike to do that and he wouldn’t listen,” her lips trembled.

“My driver is still downstairs, I’ve told him to wait,” Jessica interrupted the exchange, and eyed Harvey and Donna, her face cool and calm but Harvey could tell that she was more than a little shaken. Hazing was commonplace among the associates, the partners even encouraged some of it because it kept everyone amused and on their toes but it had never gone this far before. “He’ll take you and Donna to the hospital. You will find out how Mr. Ross is doing. You will make sure he is getting the best goddamn care this city has to offer.”

“Anything else?” Harvey asked as he buttoned his suit jacket.

“I want the bills sent to Pearson Hardman, every associate’s bonus, except Mr. Ross’ of course, will cover his medical and other expenses,” Jessica said with a hard look at each and every associate. They all looked stricken but said nothing to the first consequence for their actions. “I want a full report on how Mr. Ross is doing within the hour.”

“Of course,” Harvey put his game face on, prepared to do endless battle with the doctors and nurses he was about to face. He put an arm around Donna’s shoulder and made to go back to the elevator but paused, glared at the associates and then at Louis. Louis simply nodded; for once they were on the completely same page.

“They’ll be dealt with, I assure you they will be,” Louis assured him. Donna put a hand up and pointed to Harold.

“Harold was good,” she said. “He was the smart one who came to get me and called the paramedics.”

“I’ll take it into consideration,” Louis replied. “Tell Mike that he doesn’t have to worry about anything. All of his work will be taken care of until he is well enough to return.”

“Which he will not rush,” Jessica added. “Now go. Remember: Full report in one hour.”  
Harvey nodded once more before he guided Donna towards the elevators and down to see to his associate. When they were gone Jessica looked at Louis.

“I can trust you to handle this?”

“Yes,” Louis nodded.

“Good. I’m going to smooth some feathers with Harvey’s now cancelled client meeting this afternoon.”

“Let me know how Mike is doing when you find out?” Louis requested, Jessica raised a brow, he shrugged. “I’m allergic to peanuts too.”

“I’ll send a message to Norma,” Jessica responded before she stalked off in the direction of her office. When she was gone, Louis turned to the associates and found them all the paler because he had made sure that they’d heard that last statement.

“Harold,” he looked at the younger man who snapped to attention. “Seeing as you apparently have the brains today, tell me what happened.”

“Greg and Kyle thought it would be funny to put peanuts in Mike’s redbull,” Harold responded instantly. “We should have stopped them.”

“Yes, you should have,” Louis said. “Did it occur to any of you to think about the potential risks in tampering with someone’s food? Let me answer that for you, no. Greg and Kyle may have been the perpetrators but each and every one of you is guilty here.”

“We didn’t mean to….I didn’t know,” Greg mumbled. Louis huffed.

“There is a fine line between a joke and harassment,” he emphasized the last word and watched as they all flinched. “And I promise you that if Mike decides to sue you for this or press charges, and he is well within his rights to do so, not only will he have Harvey representing him but I will act as his co-counsel.”

“Oh god,” Kyle muttered. “He’s going to sue us?”

“We’re going to jail.”

“Your bonuses are going to pay for Mike’s care, all of you are going to take over whatever Mike was working on and have it done for me, by the end of the day,” Louis reiterated. “In addition to the work I am going to find for you. Kyle and Greg,” he rounded on the two ringleaders. “You two are hereby suspended without pay until further notice.”

“What?” Kyle asked. “Louis you can’t…”

“I just did. I don’t want to see your goddamn faces around here until I’ve called you back,” Louis said as he buttoned his jacket. “Pearson Hardman has a very strict policy when it comes to harassment and there is now an open, pending investigation into your actions that I will review in due time.”

“And how long will that be?” Greg asked.

“When I goddamn want to,” Louis said. “You have exactly five minutes to collect your things and get out before I call security. The rest of you, I expect a line outside of my office in fifteen minutes because you will be getting a portion of Mike Ross’ work and a hell of a lot from everyone else. Harold,” Louis rounded on the other man who jumped. “Go and get me some goddamn coffee.”

“Yes sir.”


	4. Scared, Dazed, and Confused

His body felt like lead, his head was pounding, and there was a beeping sound that was really annoying him because all he wanted to do was sleep. He opened his eyes, fully prepared to shut what his alarm off and get ten more minutes of sleep, and then he’d get up and run around like a maniac to get ready for work.

And then he saw the off white walls that surrounded him. He smelled the antiseptic, felt the crisp sheets against his skin, and felt something poking into his arm. Mike glanced to his right and found the source of the beeping, monitors. He tried to speak but found that he couldn’t because there was a tube _down his throat_. His hand twitched as panic began to set in because he had no idea why he was here and why there was a tube down his throat.

He tried to move, to sit up and get the out but found that he was being pressed down by a pair of strong hands.

“Easy there kid.”

He knew that voice. He felt more than a little relief when he saw Harvey’s face swim into his view, followed closely by Donna. They both looked relieved and worried and tired. Donna’s eyes were red. Mike was so confused it wasn’t even funny.

“Oh thank god,” Donna choked.

“You’re in the hospital,” Harvey answered the question that had been ringing in his head.“You had to be brought here after ingesting peanuts a few hours ago. When the paramedics came they had to put a tube down your throat to help you breathe.”

He felt his brow furrow, why would he be stupid enough to eat peanuts? He always asked if he was unsure about a food product.

“The other associates,” Donna scowled. “Decided that it would be funny to put peanuts in your drink and you had a reaction…and don’t you ever, ever scare me like that again.”

Donna poked his chest hard; Mike saw that her hand was shaking. Why was it shaking? His head was so fuzzy and he didn’t remember earlier. He remembered drinking a Redbull at lunch and then it was so hazy. All he could recall was the faint taste of raspberries.

“You almost died. You stopped breathing. I had to give you mouth to mouth and never again Michael Ross. Never again do you understand me? You are not allowed to die,” Donna poked his chest once more; her eyes filled with tears that she tried to wipe away, Mike winced partly because the pressure on his chest hurt but more so because Donna was crying because of him. Donna didn’t cry. She made people bow down to her levels of awesome. Harvey caught his wince and caught Donna’s hand before she could poke him again.

“Let him get his bearings back first alright?” Harvey requested. Donna huffed and nodded.

“It’s no fun if they don’t remember it anyway,” she replied.

“You’ve been out for about nine hours; they had to give you another dose of Epinephrine, some fluids, and a combination of other things. That’s why you feel so fuzzy right now,” Harvey explained. “Now I’m going to go get a nurse and she will get a doctor and we’ll see about getting that tube out of your throat alright?”

Mike’s eyes widened as fear crept down his spine; he didn’t want to be left alone in this room. He hated hospitals. The last time he had been in one had been the night of the accident that had taken his parents. He had nightmares about this place. He tried to shake his head but was stopped because of the tube and his hands shook, his pulse quickened, the monitors beeping sped up.

“Mike, Mike,” Harvey reached out and took hold of one of his hands and squeezed, his voice uncharacteristically gentle as Donna followed suit and took his other hand. “Calm down, it’s alright. I’m not going to leave you alone in here. Donna will be right here.”

“I promise to use my black belts on any monsters,” she promised. “Let Harvey go and I’ll stay right here until he brings the doctor back alright? Squeeze our hands if that’s alright.”  
Mike considered this and figured that because Donna was fierce she would indeed protect him. He squeezed their hands. Harvey returned the gesture, pulled his hand away from Mike’s tight hold and moved to leave the room, he paused once to run his hand against Mike’s forehead before he left.

“I meant what I said Mike,” Donna told him after a minute. “You scared me.”

He squeezed her hand in apology.

“I know it wasn’t your fault but….if you could please not do that ever again it would be fantastic,” she gave him a watery smile as he squeezed her hand twice. “The doctors said you’ll be fine. We got you the Epi-Pen in time and the second dose did what the other one didn’t. But you’re going to take at least a week off of work.”  
Mike’s eyes widened. He couldn’t afford a week off.

“Louis told me to tell you that everything you were working on is being taken care of and Jessica is having the firm cover any of your expenses until you’re better. I called your Gram and told her what happened, but,” she held a hand up at his frightened expression. “I did an abbreviated version for her. We’ll call her when you can talk again. Until then I’ll continue to give her updates.”

Mike squeezed her hand once more. He wanted to say something but apparently that was all he needed to do because she smiled again, less watery, more hopeful, more Donna. Mike made a mental note to send her a giant bouquet of flowers when he got the chance. She had saved his life she deserved that and more.

“Ah Mr. Ross.”

Mike’s eyes went to the door to find that a doctor he didn’t know was entering the room followed by two nurses and Harvey, who had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall opposite his bed. He looked menacing like that and Mike vaguely wondered what he had to do to get doctors in a hospital to respond like this.

“It’s good to see you awake again, I’m doctor Mott, we’re going to run a few quick tests and then see about getting that tube out of your mouth. Mr. Specter, I’m going to have to ask you to step out.”  
Mike squeezed Donna’s hands. He didn’t want to be left alone with these strangers. He was still so confused and he would even admit to being a little scared because he couldn’t freaking remember what had happened. Donna straightened as did Harvey and they both eyed Dr. Mott with their patented ‘yeah right’ looks.

“We stay,” Harvey said. “He doesn’t like hospitals and he’s confused. I won’t have you scarring him further today.”

“You can’t just, this is a delicate procedure.”

“I can and I will sue you for going against my clients wishes,” Harvey threatened and when did Mike become a client? He was his associate, not a client, but then Donna leveled him with a look and he became very glad that he could not speak. “Now we stay and you are going to continue to do your job.”

“Mr. Ross,” Dr. Mott began but Mike held his free hand up and pointed to Harvey and Donna and then himself. The doctor sighed but nodded to the two nurses. “Ma’am if you’ll just stand with Mr. Specter so we can work.”

“That I can do, Mike we’re right over here,” Donna pointed to the wall. “You just focus on us.”


	5. Staying is Caring

Hospital beds sucked. They had no padding, no comfortable sheets, and while his bed certainly wasn’t the best in the world all Mike wanted was to be in it and curled up around his sheets and pillows. But no, he was stuck in the hospital for another two days because they had to intubate and that apparently warrants being kept for observation.  
Mike felt fine. Well, not fine, he still felt like he’d been hit by an eighteen-wheeler, he still doesn’t remember what happened, and his throat hurt but Mike is confident that he could take care of himself. He had wanted to argue with the doctors earlier, had tried to write it down, but then Harvey and Donna had given him this look and he’d stopped because there was no fighting with the pair of them.

Especially Donna. Harvey was scary but Donna knew things.

Today had been crap and the next couple of days were going to be just as bad because he was stuck in the hospital. He hated the hospital. The only good things about today were that the tube had come out of his throat a few hours ago, Donna had brought him ice cream for dinner, and Harvey had agreed to stay the night in the room with him after making Donna promise that she would go home and sleep.

Mike should probably be embarrassed by the latter part of what made his day better. But he really did hate hospitals and having someone familiar, someone safe with him was keeping him from going crazy.

“Mike please calm down, if you keep moving around they’re going to come sedate you and I’m going to let them.”

Mike turned his head to look at Harvey who was sitting in the chair by his bed in jeans and a simple black shirt and paperwork in his lap. Donna had brought it all to him before she had gone home for the night. She hadn’t left without kissing Mike on the forehead and promising to bring him more ice cream in the morning. Mike was more than a little excited by this. Harvey had his face set and Mike pouted.

“Don’t give me that face, you’re moving around too much,” Harvey told him. “Try to sleep.”

Mike wrinkled his nose and hit the bed. Harvey chuckled.

“I guess they would be uncomfortable wouldn’t they? Do you want me to see if they’ll give you something to help you sleep?”

Mike shook his head; the drugss they’d given him earlier had just started to wear off a couple of hours ago ago. They made him loopy and fuzzy and he hated it. It was bad enough that he was missing parts of his memory as is. He didn’t want more. He instead reached for his left side and the legal pad and pen that Donna had given him and shakily scribbled onto its surface.

 _Don’t want to be fuzzy anymore._

He held the pad up and Harvey nodded.

“Fair enough but you do need to try to sleep tonight,” he said. Mike pouted again and wrote on the paper.

 _I slept enough today._

Harvey read it and frowned.

“That doesn’t count,” Harvey pointed out. “It…this is different.”

Mike frowned.

“There’s a difference between resting and being passed out because of two idiots,” Harvey said and Mike thought about it, he supposed that yes there was a difference.

 _What’s happening to them anyway?_

“Right,” Harvey ran a hand through his now very mussed hair. “Louis has started an investigation into their actions. They’ve been suspended without pay for now and if I have anything to say about it they’ll be fired within the month.”

Mike nodded because while he didn’t remember, what Kyle and Greg had done was unacceptable. He tolerated a lot, knew it was part of the game in the world of the associates, but toying with someone’s food was going too far. He was lucky that Donna had been there and that apparently Harold had decided to get her. He was really lucky.

“I’ll ask you this again when you’re able to speak but do you want to press charges against them?” Harvey asked. “If you do Jessica’s authorized me to represent you pro bono and Louis will help.”

Mike felt the shock wash over him and Harvey snorted.

“I know, but he’s apparently allergic to peanuts as well, think about it and get back to me,” Harvey said. Mike nodded because he honestly didn’t know what to do. He knew on some level that Greg and Kyle should not be allowed to do this ever again, that they needed to learn a lesson, but did he really want to press charges?

“There’s time to think about it over the next couple of days,” Harvey told him. “Don’t strain yourself tonight.”

Mike snorted before he reached over to grab the ice chips he’d been downing ever since he’d been allowed to breathe on his own. Harvey watched him grab the cup and Mike was grateful that he was being allowed to do some things on his own, he was more grateful for the ice because it helped soothe his ridiculously sore throat.

“I know that Donna already yelled at you,” Harvey began quietly as Mike put his cup back onto the table and looked at him. “But I thought I’d reiterate. If we can avoid another day like this it’d be ideal. I don’t like being caught off guard like that.”

Mike nodded because he would also like to not repeat today ever again. It sucked. But having Harvey mention it made him just a little smug as he took his pad of paper and wrote on it.

 _This means you care you know._

Harvey snorted as he read it but he didn’t say anything to the contrary. Ha. He so cared. Mike smiled and then rubbed a hand over his eyes. He was suddenly more than a little tired, despite the fact that he had been unconscious for the majority of the day.

“Time for all good little puppies to get some sleep,” Harvey said. Mike shook his head. Harvey sighed. “I swear sometimes you’re like a child. What do you want a story?”

Mike looked at Harvey, whose eyebrows had since risen to his hairline.

“No,” Harvey said. “You are not a child, you are a grown man and-”

 _I’ll tell Donna you were mean to me._

Mike nodded when Harvey glared because he wasn’t stupid. He had Donna’s favor at the moment and he was damn well going to use it to his advantage. And he really couldn’t sleep. And he really hated hospitals and this bed.

“I am not afraid of Donna,” Harvey huffed. Mike snorted and then winced. Bad idea when ones throat was still recovering from having a tube shoved down it. Harvey handed him his cup of ice chips. “But you can listen to this brief.”

Mike nodded and closed his eyes as Harvey began to read the introduction to him, a merger that was going to be their next case. It was almost normal and it was that thought that let him drift off, despite the damn bed and the beeping.


	6. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we have it, the last chapter of Blured Haze. Thank you so much for your comments everyone. I really appreciate you taking the time out to leave your thoughts.

He got released from the hospital after two days. But instead of being taken home, Harvey had informed Mike that he would be staying in his guest room until he was back to full speed. Mike had tried to argue but he’d still had problems talking. Plus Donna had been there and she had given him this look and he wasn’t dumb enough to try and fight her and Harvey off. Besides, there were worse things than having to stay in Harvey’s swanky condo for a few days.

Those things included having Jessica Pearson show up the day after you get released with Louis in tow to have a ‘meeting’ about when Mike would going back to work and the action that could be taken against Greg and Kyle. The meeting ended with Mike trying to speak, getting glared at by everyone in the room and then just deciding that nodding and smiling were some of his best options.

What they’d all agreed to, and by all he meant everyone except him, was that he would be allowed to return to work after a week off and do half days and light work until he had a clean bill of health and a doctor’s note to prove it. At the time Mike had pouted but now that he was actually at work he was grateful for the fact that he was leaving at lunchtime to go back to Harvey’s because his body was definitely still recovering from the trauma and he wanted to sleep.

“Mike.”

He picked his head up from where he was working on reading the brief Harvey had read to him the other night and was surprised to find Harold standing before his cubicle.

“Yes?” Mike asked before he winced, his throat still hurt even after a week, he still wasn’t talking much. Harvey insisted that it was a relief; Mike constantly threatened to tell Donna on him.

“I just…I wanted to say that I’m sorry for what Greg and Kyle did,” Harold said with a nod towards the empty desks in the room. At the meeting Mike had decided against pressing charges or suing the two or the firm because Jessica had agreed to fire them for their actions. That consequence was enough in Mike’s opinion. “I should have stopped them and…I’m really sorry.”

“It’s,” Mike paused to swallow some water from the bottle Donna kept replenishing. “Ok, thank you for getting help,” his voice was hoarse but Harold heard it all the same and nodded.

“Hope you feel better soon, if you need anything ask, we’re here to help you too,” Harold said before he walked back to his desk. Louis had informed him this morning that he wasn’t allowed to strain himself and if he so much as needed a tissue he was to ask the other associates to get it for him.

“Mike.”

He looked up and found Donna standing in front of his cubicle.

“Harvey is taking you and I out to a peanut free lunch and then you’re going back to Harvey’s condo where we are going to marathon Star Trek,” she told him. He raised an eyebrow.

“Work?” he asked.

“I’m going with you to make sure you don’t try and do actual work. Come on,” she snapped her fingers. “We’re starting with the new movie because I need Chris Pine’s pretty face in my life. Elevator, five minutes, or I come back and drag you out by your ear.”

Mike shook his head as he gathered his things, a smile flickering on his face as Donna sauntered away from his desk. He wasn’t at one hundred percent just yet, but he at least he wasn’t in a blurred haze anymore.


End file.
